Filmmakers from 42 countries take part in Indy Shorts International Film Festival
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Filmmakers from across the country are in town for this year’s Indy Shorts International Film Festival.
Inside the Living Room Theatres, at Bottleworks in Indianapolis, you’ll find a diverse group of visionaries — filmmakers presenting their work at screenings for people to see.
“Man, it’s super exciting, Just an amazing experience,” said Jeffrey Wall, a filmmaker, from Dayton, Ohio.
Wall, who’s 16, came up with the idea for his film, “Golden Age Karate.” The film was born out of his love for martial arts and his desire to spread kindness.
“It is about me traveling to nursing homes and holding martial arts classes with senior citizens. I wanted to create it just to spread the word and let people know that you can be kind to anyone at any age,” Wall explained.
This is his first short film. He says his mother helped film some of it. As a young Black filmmaker, he hopes to inspire people who want to make films.
“It just makes me feel good that I can inspire other kids, just like me to know that they see somebody like you doing it, they’re going to want to do it, too,” Wall explained.
The Indy Shorts International Film Festival features 201 short films and filmmakers from 42 countries.
Danielle Beckman’s film is called “Liza Anonymous.”
“In the film, my character becomes addicted to support groups, and she becomes addicted to support groups, and she creates different personas to fit into each group. Then, her charade crumbles and she’s forced to get into the root of this unique addiction she has, find her true identity, all of that. So, in the process, I get to play five different personas in the film,” Beckmann, a filmmaker and actress from Los Angeles, said.
Several films were directed by women.
“I love seeing more and more women doing it. Women, gender non-binary folks, people of color. Really, this effort in the arts, of saying, ‘Hey, we want to share all these voices,” Beckmann said.
Beckman hopes that through her art and work, she can inspire other women. Her best advice?
“For other women out there, I would say start small, chunk it down. Have a big dream, step away from the big dream for a second, and chunk it down. What actions could you take? Small ones, each day,” Beckmann explained.
The main festival, the Heartland International Film Festival will be on Oct. 7-17, at several places in Indianapolis, including the Living Room theaters, and the new Kan Kan Independent Cinema in Indy.
Films that will be in that festival will be announced on Sept. 9.